How competitive is the acceptance rate at Vanderbilt?

I'm trying to get a feel for how competitive Vanderbilt is. Does anyone know what the acceptance rate looks like and if there's anything else I should consider when applying?

Vanderbilt University is indeed a highly competitive institution. As of the most recent application cycle, the overall acceptance rate was around 7%. This places Vanderbilt amongst the most selective universities in the country.

However, it's not just about the acceptance rate. The admitted student profile shows that Vanderbilt's middle 50% for SAT scores ranged from 1530 to 1600, and the ACT composite scores varied from 34 to 36. Also, the vast majority of the accepted students were in the top 10% of their high school class.

Beyond academics, Vanderbilt also looks for students who exhibit high levels of involvement and leadership in extracurricular activities. In keeping with the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars concept, having a few activities from Tiers 1 and 2 can be particularly beneficial.

One more thing to consider is that applying Early Decision can give you a slight advantage, although still being extremely competitive—Early Decision acceptance rates are typically higher than those for Regular Decision.

All in all, you should have a balanced application, with strong academic performance, extracurricular leadership roles, and compelling essays that give insight into your distinctiveness as an applicant. Of course, choosing to apply Early Decision should be a familial decision, taking into account financial and other considerations.